Page 3 - Hawaii Island MidWeek - Oct 20, 2021

A fter hiking miles into Nuʻuanu for an ele- mentary school field trip, nothing could parallel an icy-cold carton of POG. It’s a small memory I dredge up ev- ery time those bursts of citrus and waves of sweetness dance on my taste buds, stretching a grin across my face with every sip. For many of us, POG, or any other fruity drink or candy or food, was a defining part of our childhood. Those flavors are the key to activating our
like POG, Maui Hot Bread, and Mauna Dew line store shelves, contributing to our state having one of the highest high school and middle school vaping rates across the U.S. With chemicals like nicotine and formaldehyde in combination, it’s easy for kids to get hooked and caught in a cycle of addiction.
capacity to fight for justice. As we prepare for the next legislative session in January,
fond memories and feelings. No one, however, under- stands that better than the to- bacco industry. For decades, Big Tobacco has weaponized the flavors of our childhood. In Hawaiʻi, e-cigarette flavors
Over the past several years, our members have led peer-to- peer presentations and training, organized awareness events and met with state legislators,
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all in an effort to push for an end to the sale of flavored to- bacco products and increased regulation on the industry. Personally, serving on this council has empowered me to believe that I, no matter my background or age, have the
Youth Council members of the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i (from left) Nikkya Taliaferro and Zoey Duan take part in the March Against Menthol on March 7. PHOTOS COURTESY COALITION FOR A TOBACCO-FREE HAWAI‘I
By Joshua Ching, Youth Council member of the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaiʻi
The Youth Council of the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaiʻi, a group of middle, high school and college stu- dents from across the islands, has stepped up to fight that challenge.
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to get involved. Visit hiphi. org/youth or contact coor- dinator Scott Stensrud at scott@hiphi.org.
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OCTOBER 20, 2021
HAWAI‘I ISLAND MIDWEEK 3
Trick or Treat
Ghouls and Goblins!